2014 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps: Building a Culture of Health, County by County Released

Posted on 3/26/2014
by
Ayotunde Ademoyero

The fifth annual County Health Rankings & Roadmaps released earlier today, allows counties to see how well they are doing on 29 factors that influence health including smoking, high school graduation rates, employment, physical inactivity, and access to healthy foods. This year’s report features even more new factors that influence health, such as housing, transportation, access to mental health providers, access to exercise opportunities, injury deaths, and food insecurity.

Forsyth County ranked 26th among the 100 counties of N.C. with regard to Health Outcome status (length and quality of life) compared to 28th last year; the 5th among the top five urban counties.

Forsyth County ranked 29th among the 100 NC counties with regard to Health Factors (health behaviors, clinical care, social & economic factors, and the physical environment) compared to 24th last year; the 5th among the top five urban counties.

“The goal of the Health Department is to improve health in Forsyth County; however no single person or group can tackle this problem alone. It will take leaders from business and government, educators, employers, citizens, and organizations representing many interests working together to create opportunities to live a healthy life and improving the health of Forsyth County residents,” said Marlon B. Hunter, Health Director.

The Rankings confirm the results of Forsyth County’s 2011 Community Health Assessment (CHA) top priority focus areas which are physical activity & nutrition, chronic disease prevention, maternal & infant health and social determinants of health. This report also reminds our community partners that health is everyone’s business and need to be involved in the ongoing 2014 CHA process to develop a community-wide comprehensive health improvement plan.